Compare and Despair: Social media making lives miserable

SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - Do you ever scroll through your social media feeds and think your own life does not measure up? It's called compare and despair syndrome, and it can cause anxiety and even depression.

New research out of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine links social media use to depression.

A study of young adults who spent an average of 61 minutes a day checking their social media accounts found more than 25-percent of them had high indicators of depression. Those who visited social media frequently had nearly three times the risk.

Child and family psychologist Dr. Deborah Pontillo said social media gives a skewed perspective of other people's lives where the bad can be filtered out to showcase only the good.

Dr. Pontillo encourages people to practice positive psychology by feeling expressing gratitude for all the good in their lives.

"Sometimes we live these fast paced lives. We don't really realize how much we do have. We do have a lot. Yes, there will always be people who have more but we do have a lot," she said.

According to experts, simply stepping away from social media may not be enough for some people and recommend seeking help from a therapist if you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others.

The 2019 Super Bloom in Walker Canyon, which is attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors to the City of Lake Elsinore, is causing significant traffic congestion on Interstate 15 and surrounding roadways.

The 2019 Super Bloom in Walker Canyon, which is attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors to the City of Lake Elsinore, is causing significant traffic congestion on Interstate 15 and surrounding roadways.

People living in their vehicles has become a contentious issue with many residents expressing safety concerns, and on Wednesday, the Pacific Beach Town Council heard more of those concerns as it searches for ideas to fix the situation.

People living in their vehicles has become a contentious issue with many residents expressing safety concerns, and on Wednesday, the Pacific Beach Town Council heard more of those concerns as it searches for ideas to fix the situation.

We are getting our first look at new video of the two San Diego defendants accused in a nationwide college admissions scandal. News 8 cameras caught up with Toby MacFarlane at his home in Del Mar on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Elisabeth Kimmel was seen going into the downtown office building of her attorney, Greg Vega.

We are getting our first look at new video of the two San Diego defendants accused in a nationwide college admissions scandal. News 8 cameras caught up with Toby MacFarlane at his home in Del Mar on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Elisabeth Kimmel was seen going into the downtown office building of her attorney, Greg Vega.